Day 79 Bible Reading

Numbers 10 and 11, Luke 3: 1-22, Psalm 41: 7-13

Luke 3: 21-22 (ESV)

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

I like verses 21-22 from Luke 3. I would have loved to have been in the crowd when this happened. Were all the people freaked out? Did everyone hear the voice? Or was it only the people around Christ and John at the time? Did a report go to the Sanhedrin about it? The baptism of Jesus by John shows up in all of the four gospels, so it definitely happened. We just don’t have the little details about the event. I would like to think that if I had been there and heard the voice and saw the dove, I would have remembered and been awed by the event and told people about it. I’m sure there were some people present who experienced the miracle and dismissed it as a hallucination. Others would have convinced themselves that they weren’t sure what they saw. Others would have been so freaked out, they would have blocked the event from their memories and said they saw and heard nothing. It’s easy I think to speculate on what you might do, but unless you were actually there you have no idea how you would have reacted to this event. Miracles are such a strange thing in our world.

Day 78 Bible Reading

Numbers 8 and 9, Luke 2: 41-52, Psalm 41: 1-6

Numbers 9: 23 (ESV)

“At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.”

Verse 9 from Numbers 9 reminds that we need to be led by God in everything we do. I would love it if I had a cloud to lead me around in the desert of my life. That must have been an amazing sight to see and feel. The cloud would cover the Israelites by day, let them how long to camp in one place, and when to leave their camp. I love the imagery of the cloud leading God’s people in the desert. They had just come out of slavery and were not used to fending for themselves, and the God of Moses provided for them a cloud to take care of them. But I don’t have a cloud. I have to rely on trying to listen to God’s words in my life, to read my bible every day, and watch how my life enfolds so I can discern God’s will for my life. But I know if I follow the will of God in my life that he will guide me through the desert of my life and everything will be alright.

Day 77 Bible Reading - Luke 2: 27-32 (ESV)

Numbers 7, Luke 2: 21-40, Psalm 40: 9-17

Luke 2: 27-32 (ESV)

“And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

I love these verses from Luke 2, where Simeon recognized the divinity of Christ when he was presented at the temple. This scene is such a contrast to what happened to Jesus in the Temple during his ministry and during Passion week. Christ was recognized as the messiah from his birth in the manger and now in the Temple. It always make me wonder if a report was made to Sanhedrin about what Simeon said about Jesus, and if a file was set up from that moment for Jesus as a potential troublemaker. It’s so sad that when Jesus was first brought to the Temple he was recognized for who he was, but when he came during Passion week years later he was arrested for blasphemy.

Day 76 Bible Reading - Luke 2: 9-12 (ESV)

Numbers 5-6, Luke 2: 1-20, Psalm 40: 1-6

Luke 2: 9-12 (ESV)

“And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

I’ve also loved these verses from Luke 2. It makes me wonder how the shepherds felt and what they thought when the Angel started speaking to them.  Were they scared and freaked out? They have been praying like all of Israel for a messiah for years, and now the angel told them that the messiah was born. And this messiah was born in the most humblest of circumstances because he was lying in a manger. I’m sure that is not how they were expecting the messiah to be born. I’m trying to imagine myself as a shepherd, who were in their day considered the poorest of people. They were nobodies. Would I have believed what the angel was saying? I give the shepherds so much credit. They didn’t doubt what the angel was said and they made their way over to see the new messiah. These poor shepherds had so much faith.