I am trying something different. Previously, I have always placed my comments on the passage in the order Old Testament passage, New Testament passage, Psalm, Proverb. For the near future I am going to post them in the order in which I prepare the comments. This is likely to be the reverse of how I was doing it, but I foresee changing it up depending on what strikes me first. Please let me know what you think of this change.
I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
The proverb writer lists the characteristics of wisdom in today’s passage. Common sense and sound judgment, insight and power are products of wisdom. The only thing necessary to find wisdom is the desire, and willingness, to seek for it. Everything that is good and enduring is built on a foundation of wisdom. If you desire to accomplish anything of value or that will endure, begin by seeking out wisdom.
The Lord has stored up good things for those who fear Him. He will bless those who come to Him for protection in full view of everyone. I will love the Lord with all of my heart because He will protect those who are loyal to Him. I will praise Him publicly because He has shown me the wonders of His love. When all seems lost I will cry out to Him because I know that He will answer. I will fear and obey the Lord despite the scorn of those who hate Him, because He shelter me and bless me in their sight. If we are faithful to God, He will bless us in a manner that makes His greatness, and love for us, clear to all who are watching.
As Jesus led the disciples to the Garden, where He would be betrayed, He told them that they would all desert Him. Peter insisted that he would never desert Jesus, even if everyone else did. Jesus responded that before the rooster crowed he would deny Him three times. However, a little later I realized that Jesus appreciated Peter’s braggadocio, even though Peter could not back it up. I was reading about Jesus praying and I was going to focus on a key point of His prayer, “not as I will, but as you will.” (NIV) However, then I read what He said to Peter when He woke him from falling asleep. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (NIV) This struck me as something I struggle with so much…and as sound advice on how to deal with it (even if we still fall). I struggle with temptation and I know that I fall to it so often because I do not watch and pray as much as I need to. I know that I need to find a way to spend more time in prayer, a way to overcome the obstacles which Satan throws in my way. I have long struggled with this, yet I know God will show me the path to overcoming this. I long struggled with reading the Bible enough. Now God has given me this blog which has made reading the Bible something I look forward to doing. He will do the same for prayer in my life.
As I read today’s passage about the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests, the first thought that went through my mind was my comment the other day about all of us being part of the priesthood of believers today. Then when I read the instruction to wash them in water at the entrance to the Tabernacle, I saw a parallel to baptism. The rest of the instructions for their dedication does not fit so well with baptism. However, as I read on I saw that the ceremony was to be carried out over seven days. This seemed to be to convey to both those witnessing it and to those being dedicated a sense of the solemnity of the occasion. We need to same sort of solemness as part of our baptism ceremony. Note: I am not talking about the sort of solemness that is appropriate for a funeral. There should be joy as part of a baptism as well as solemnity. After all, we are celebrating the new life which the celebrant is experiencing as well as their dedication to serving God.