Steadfast love

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Devotions: Ps 105; Hos 5:8-6:6; Acts 21:27-36; Lk 6:1-11

Let us give thanks to God and publish His praise among all people. Let those who seek God rejoice; I seek Him and His strength continually. YHWH is my God; He is Master and Judge over all creation. He made and kept His covenant with Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. He gave His people the land of Canaan, after bring them forth from captivity in Egypt, with great acts of power and much of Egypt's gold. He guided His people through years in the wilderness, giving them food and drink in that wasteland. Let us praise the Lord!

Sound the alarm in Gibeah, in Ramah, and at Bethaven. Let Benjamin and Ephraim tremble; let both Israel and Judah understand that their sin turns God's power against them. No one can deliver from God's hands, just as none can snatch away what He holds dear. So let us return to YHWH; what He has torn, He can heal! Let us press on to know the Lord; for He will come to us and bless us. God desires only steadfast love and commitment to seek and know God—not sacrifices or burned offerings.

When the seven days of Paul's vow were nearly over, Jews from Asia who had seen him in the temple stirred up a mob against him, crying out, incorrectly, that he was teaching against the Jews throughout the known world. They charged, incorrectly, that Paul had brought Greeks into the temple, defiling the holy place. The mob dragged Paul out of the temple and shut the gates behind them. They were trying to kill Paul; word of the disturbance came to the Roman tribune, and he took a detachment of troops to break up the riot. The tribune arrested Paul and bound him in chains, then inquired about the nature of his offense. The mob shouted out various charges, but they could not agree. So the tribune ordered that Paul be taken to the barracks, and the soldiers had to carry him through the crowd, which was still shouting and demanding Paul's death.

One Sabbath, Jesus and His disciples were going through some grain fields, and His hungry followers plucked and ate some heads of grain. The Pharisees immediately objected: 'Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?' Jesus answered them: 'Haven't you read what David did when he was hungry—he entered God's house and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is unlawful for any but the priests to eat. And he gave it to his companions as well.' Jesus concluded, 'The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.' On another Sabbath, when Jesus entered a synagogue and taught, there was a man present who right hand had withered. The scriges and Pharisees were watching Jesus, to see whether He would heal the man on the Sabbath—so that they could accuse Him anew of violating the Sabbath law. Jesus knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, 'Come and stand here.' Jesus addressed the congregation: 'I ask you: is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? Is it lawful to save life, or to destroy it?' Jesus stared down the crowd, who made no reply. They Jesus said to the man standing in their midst, 'Stretch out your hand.' He did so, and the withered hand was restored. But the witnesses were filled with fury and discussed among themselves what they might do to Jesus.