Week 2 Thursday
Sarai tries to take matters into her own hands, Psalm 9 gives us a rich portrait of who God is, and Jesus demonstrates His authority over demons, disease, and death in a breathtaking stretch of ministry.
Genesis 16-17
📖 What are we reading? Sarai, tired of waiting for God's promise, takes things into her own hands and gives her servant Hagar to Abram. It ends badly. God then institutes the covenant of circumcision, and changes their names to Abraham and Sarah.
✞ What does this passage say about God? God keeps His promises in His own time - not ours. He is not thrown off course by our impatience or our mistakes.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Learn the lesson from Sarai - trying to force God's hand leads to pain, and blaming others makes it worse. The New Testament reminds us it is not our flesh but our hearts that need circumcision. What areas of your life need that kind of deep surrender?
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.
🎤 A sermon by Luke on the conflict between Abram, Sarai and Hagar.
🎤 A sermon by Luke on Abraham's name change.
Psalm 9
📖 What are we reading? A full psalm richly describing who God is and how we can respond to Him - a God who judges with righteousness, is a refuge for the oppressed, and never forsakes those who seek Him.
✞ What does this passage say about God? He reigns forever. He does not ignore the cries of the afflicted. The nations that forget God will be brought low, but His people can trust Him completely.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Read this psalm looking for two things: descriptions of who God is, and what our response to Him should be. Pick one of each, and carry them with you today.
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.
♫ Worship through Psalm 9 with Luke.
Luke 4:31-44
📖 What are we reading? Jesus moves from Nazareth to Capernaum, where He teaches with authority, drives out an evil spirit, heals Simon's mother-in-law, and then heals a great crowd at sunset. Early the next morning He slips away to pray - and then declares it is time to move on to preach elsewhere.
✞ What does this passage say about God? Jesus' authority is unmistakable - even the demons know who He is and submit to Him. His compassion is just as clear: He heals everyone who comes to Him. And underneath it all, His prayer life shows us that even the Son of God depended on the Father.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Jesus' power and His prayerfulness go hand in hand. The busier His ministry became, the more He withdrew to pray. That is a challenge worth sitting with today.
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.
📝 Daily devotions by Luke on Jesus' words from Luke 4.
A Prayer for the Day
🙏 Lord, forgive us for the times we try to force Your hand rather than trust Your timing. You reign forever, You hear the cries of the afflicted, and Your authority over all things is absolute. Teach us, like Jesus, to withdraw and pray - and to trust You completely. Amen.
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