Week 3 Friday
Today we watch a servant's prayer answered in remarkable detail, hear David describe the blameless life that lets us dwell in God's presence, and witness a sinful woman's extravagant love for Jesus put a self-righteous Pharisee to shame.
Genesis 24
📖 What are we reading? Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac from among his own people, rather than the pagan women of Canaan. The servant's prayer is answered in remarkable detail, and Rebekah returns with him to marry Isaac.
✞ What does this passage say about God? He answers specific, faith-filled prayer. The servant's careful request, and God's clear answer through Rebekah, show a God who is intimately involved in the details of our lives.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Abraham hatches a plan for his son to avoid marrying a pagan woman, and the story unfolds beautifully. Rebekah - strong, dignified, and willing - is a great example to all women of faith today.
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 15
📖 What are we reading? David asks who may dwell in God's sanctuary, and answers his own question with a list of blameless, righteous character.
✞ What does this passage say about God? He is holy, and He desires His people to be blameless and righteous too - not out of duty, but as fellowship with Him requires it.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? How can we achieve the blameless life David describes here? Through the Spirit's indwelling power alone - not our own effort.
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.
Luke 7:36-50
📖 What are we reading? A sinful woman weeps at Jesus' feet, wipes them with her hair, and anoints them with perfume - to the disgust of Simon the Pharisee hosting the meal. Jesus tells a parable of two debtors to make His point.
✞ What does this passage say about God? He forgives extravagantly, and He sees straight through outward respectability to the state of the heart. The one forgiven much loves much.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Take note of the last verse - by faith we receive forgiveness, and thus peace. This woman's passionate worship, born out of her overwhelming gratitude, is a challenge to our own often lukewarm response to grace.
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 devotional by Luke on the parable of the two debtors.
A Prayer for the Day
🙏 Lord, thank You that You answer prayer in the smallest details, and that You desire blameless hearts shaped by Your Spirit within us. Forgive us for loving little when we have been forgiven much - let our worship be as passionate as this woman's. Amen.
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