Take refuge in God's shadow

Friday, March 8, 2013
Devotions: Ps 88, 91, 92, 95; Gen 47:1-26; 1 Cor 9:16-27; Mk 6:47-56

YHWH my God, I cry to You day and night! My soul overflows with troubles, and my life sags down toward Sheol. I have no strength in myself; God's holy wrath lies heavy on me; I'm alone and shut in. So I cry to You, my God; why cast me off? I'm alone in the dark, Lord. But those who abide in the shadow of the Most High are protected there. He will deliver me, and I will witness the destruction of the wicked. No evil will befall me; no scourge will come to my dwelling. God will rescue and honor me, and He will honor me with long life. It is very good to praise our Lord; Father, you make me glad by Your work. How great are Your deeds, my God! I will flourish like a tree planted near living waters. You make me fruitful, even in my old age; this God, my Rock: there is no unrighteousness in Him! So let us sing praises to YHWH; let us come before Him with thanksgiving: for YHWH is a great God and a great High King above all spirit beings. The universe belongs to Him; He Is our God, and we are His flock, the sheep under His care. Let us not harden our hearts toward the Almighty One!

Joseph notified Pharaoh that Joseph's father and his clan had arrived in Egypt, traveling from Canaan with all their flocks and herds. Pharaoh interviewed five of Joseph's brothers; then the king directed Joseph to settle his kin in the land of Goshen, and to put Pharaoh's own livestock under their care. Then Pharaoh spoke with Israel, Joseph's father. Israel blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence. As the famine continued, Joseph progressively collected all the money in Egypt and in Canaan, and then all the livestock; and finally, all the land and all the people in the land, except the priests and their preserves—so that Pharaoh became the literal owner of all the land, all its livestock, and all its people. Then Joseph provided seed grain to the people, and directed that they sow the land and harvest, to feed themselves and their loved ones. The people were grateful, knowing that Joseph had saved their lives. They readily agreed to pay Pharaoh a fifth of their harvests, and Joseph left them four-fifths for their own use.

Paul continued his letter to the Corinthian Christians: I have no room for boasting on grounds that I preach the gospel; indeed, I must do so—woe to me if I don't preach the good news! I am commissioned by God for this task. My only reward is that I can choose to do what I must without charging others, abstaining from my full right in the gospel. I am free from all men, but have voluntarily made myself a bondslave to everyone, to the end that I may win more to God's side. To Jews, I become as a Jew, to win Jews. To those under the law, I become as a law-keeper, even though I am free from legal constraints, so that I may win those under the law. To those outside Torah, I become as one outside Torah—not lawless but under the law of Christ—so that I may win those outside Torah. To the weak, I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Surely you understand that in a race, every runner competes, but only one wins the prize. Now run your course so that you may obtain the prize! Conscientious athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do this to win a perishable wreath; we run to win an imperishable reward. You see, I don't run aimlessly; I don't box as one beating the air. Instead, I pummel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Evening came, and Jesus remained alone on the shore, while the boat full of His disciples was far out on the lake. Jesus could see that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. Around the fourth watch of the night, just before dawn, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea! He meant to pass by them, but when they saw Him walking on the water, they thought He was a ghost, and they cried out in terror. But at once Jesus spoke to them: 'Take heart: I Am; have no fear!' And He got into the boat with them, and immediately the headwind ceased. The disciples were utterly dumbfounded; they had not understood about the loaves by which Jesus fed the multitude, but their hearts were hardened. When they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. When they disembarked, the people recognized Jesus and ran around the neighborhood, and brought to Him sick people on their pallets. Wherever Jesus went, in villages, cities or countryside, people laid the sick in market places and besought Him, that they might touch even the fringe of His garment. And any who touched Him thus were made well.