January 12, 2008 Reading Schedule

Read Genesis 29-30 and Matthew 9:1-17

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

If I’d lived in Bible times, I think it would have been cool to be a shepherdess like Rachel. Then again, I’m probably romanticizing it too much in my mind. It was probably smelly, dirty, grunt labor, but hey, it got you out of the house, right? I wonder if she enjoyed it. I’ll ask her in heaven if I remember. I have to apologize if some of these queries aren’t super spiritual, but I’m genuinely curious, and not only that, I love becoming more intimately acquainted with my favorite Book....I want to know it inside and out.

V 20 (girlie sigh) Wow....he served seven years for his true love! So, are we talking 7 years like our 365-day years, or were their years shorter? I am not familiar with the Hebrew calendar, nor what the term “years” entailed. Folks sure were more patient back then. If we’re talking our years, I can only think of one person throughout my life I would have said “7 years; deal.” for. Otherwise it probably would have been “Well, 7 years is a long time....and something else might come along, and, really, it‘s not you, it‘s me....” Of course, our cultures are vastly different.

That Laban was a scoundrel, huh?! Man, what a way to promote family unity! One thing I did discern this time is that Jacob did not have to serve another 7 years before he married Rachel as I’d previously been led to believe....it looks like once his first honeymoon was over, it was right on to wife #2. Weird to me, but that’s how they did it, I guess. I don’t have to like it.

Regarding the phrase “fulfilling her week”, I read a book called “The Red Tent” (I don’t recommend this book...I thought it was Biblical fiction; it’s not) that made these folks vividly alive to me and shed a lot of insight into their marriage practices. See, when you got married, you got a week long honeymoon....in a tent, where folks waited on you hand and foot, and you got to spend that week getting to know each other, and eating a lot (bonus!) and, well, you know. But you basically got some time off and didn’t have to tend to any other obligations.

The rest of chapter 30 blew me away. A baby war! Jacob’s getting sons left and right; how did he keep them all straight??? I have to admire his skills with the cattle...the boy would have made a mighty fine rancher. Obviously, through all these circumstances, God blessed Jacob.

Matthew 9:9 I love that Christ is not an elitist! No one liked the tax collectors....scoundrels they were like Laban mentioned above. Yet Matthew dropped what he was doing, though it was no doubt easy, profitable work, and followed Jesus. I have to wonder; if He was appearing for the first time today, would I leave my home, my job, my pursuits, to blindly follow after Him, join His caravan of crazies on the road? Would I recognize Him for Who He was? I so like to think so. I like to think I would take my kids out of school, give my house away or let the bank take it, leave all my stuff except my camping supplies, or sell it all and pitch in for the group, and just wander like a gypsy wherever He went, come what may, no matter the discomfort and inconvenience, no matter the cost. I have heard a lot of testimonies, but have only had the opportunity with two people to see how God changed their lives, their habits, their personalities around, firsthand, having known them before. One used to dance in bars; the other I’ve seen falling down drunk and incoherent. They have increased my faith more than anything I could read or hear about. This is the real deal. Your testimony is the best witness you can give, even if you’re a lousy apologist like me. These are different people now, simply because of Christ. I hope they can say the same about me.

Matthew 9:13 quotes Hosea 6:6 “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” It’s not about works, guys. We can be as active as we want in church but when we turn our backs on someone who needs us, it’s even more of a shame when we call ourselves Christians and bring reproach on His name. I’m not pointing fingers at anyone but me....

Matthew 9:14 Fasting is hard to do when you’re happy, joyful, and with your friends! I have been doing a lot of research on fasting lately, and true spiritual fasting requires an attitude I highly doubt the Pharisees had. In fact, have you ever run into someone from church looking all hangdog: “Yeah, I’m fasting man. It’s hard. I haven’t eaten in like sixteen hours. Do I look like I’ve lost weight?”

OK, busy day ahead....Lord willing, see y’all tonight! :-)

January 12, 2008 at 11:03 AM

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