Saturday, February 12, 2011
Devotions: Ps 87, 90; 136; Isa 61:10-62:5; 2 Tim 4:1-8; Mk 10:46-52
Jerusalem, the city God loves, stands on a holy mountain; YHWH loves Zion and her gates, and glorious things are said of that city. It is foremost among the cities of earth, and the wellspring of all song and dance. It is an honor to be born there, to live there, or to die there. Moses prayed: Lord, You have been our Dwelling Place forever. You made the earth and all that lives. We are mortals, swept away in a moment, dust to dust. We are like grass, springing up one morning and fading and withering that same evening. Your wrath consumes us; we may live seventy years, or eighty if we're especially hardy, but our lifespan is toil and trouble, and soon gone. So teach us to number our days and give us a heart of wisdom. Make us glad for as many days as we have languished; manifest Yourself and Your work to us and establish the work of our hands under Your authority. Your steafast love endures forever, Lord, so we give you thanks; You are good; You work wonders; by Your wisdom You made the heavens, the earth, the waters, the sun, moon and stars. You chose and delivered Your people from bondage in Egypt, opening the sea before them but overthrowing the hosts of Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. You brought Your people into the land of promise and drove out the pagans who lived there before them. You sustain Your people, our God, for Your steadfast love endures forever.
I will greatly rejoice in YHWH, Who clothes me in His salvation, covers me with His robe of righteousness, and raises me up to speak His name and His praises. I will not rest until God's vindication shines forth. Let the Gentile nations see and come to YHWH; let us receive a new name from the hand of YHWH—we are no longer Forsaken, no longer Desolate; we live in Beulah and and God's delight is with us. God's watchers cry out to announced His coming and the day of His favor. Our God rejoices over us.
Paul wrote to Timothy: Here is my charge to you, before God and the Messiah Jesus, Who is to judge living and dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; convince, rebuke and exhort; be unfailing in patience and in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching; they will have itchy ears and will accumulate for themselves 'teachers' to suit their own desires. They will turn away from listening to the truth and will wander into myths. But you must be steady, endure suffereing and do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry! I am already at the point of martyrdom; my departure has arrived. I have fought the good fight and finished the race appointed to me. I have kept the faith. Henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that Day—not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Jesus and His party passed through Jericho, and as they were leaving the city, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting near the roadside. When the crowd came through, he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was among them, and he began to shout, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Many rebuked and tried to silence him, but he cried out all the more, 'Jesus! Son of David, have mercy on me!' Jesus stopped, and said, 'Call him.' They called the blind man, saying 'Take heart; rise; He is calling you.' Bartimaeus threw off his mantle, sprang up and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' And he ansered, 'Master, let me receive my sight.' Jesus replied, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately, he received his sight, and followed Jesus on the way.
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