Day 140 Bible Reading - 1 Samuel 5: 6 (ESV)

1 Samuel 5-7, John 11: 45-57, Psalm 78: 9-16

1 Samuel 5: 6 (ESV)

“The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.

Verse 6 from 1 Samuel 5 talks about what happens to people when touch the Ark of the Covenant when they’re not supposed to touch it. I love this description of the Ark of the Covenant. Verse 6 reminds me of the Indiana Jones movie -  "The Raiders of the  Lost Ark." This description of the Ark of the Covenant is about the extraordinary power of God. The Ark of the Covenant caused tumors to the Philistines until they returned it back to Israel. But returning it to Israel wasn’t enough. The Ark had to be returned to the right people because it killed 70 men who looked at Ark after it was returned.

These stories about the power of God in the Old Testament still aren’t enough to keep his people faithful to him. We seem to be a miracle hungry people. We constantly need to be reminded of the power of God in miracles or acts of power to keep our faith in him. I tell myself I’m not like that, but I know I am because I’m a sinner deep down. I’ve had a couple of near-death experiences which I know were miracles of God, and my faith in God was strengthened for a while. But then I forgot about these miracles and started to lose faith and doubt God again. Until another miracle happened and my faith was restored. I hate that my faith is so dependent on seeing miracles in my life, but it is. The only good thing now is I don’t forget God the way I used to that I did in my youth, because I make a conscious effort to keep God always in my life. And that conscious effort is on it’s a miracle in and of itself.

Day 139 Bible Reading - John 11: 21-22 (ESV)

1 Samuel 2: 27-36, 1 Samuel 3 & 4, John 11: 1-44, Psalm 78: 1-8

John 11: 21-22 (ESV)

“Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

Verses 21 through 22 from John 11 shows the faith of Martha, the sister of Lazarus. Even in her grief over her brother’s death, she tells Jesus she still has faith in him. This is the test for anyone who believes in Christ. Will your faith still be there even though God has not answered your prayers? Will you still have faith even in the depths of your sorrow and grief and disappointment that God did give you the miracle you were asking for?

I don’t think I have this kind of faith. I never gave up on my faith in God even when I was disappointed in not having my prayers answered, but I don’t remember still having faith in God during my disappointment and grief. My prayers are that one day, when I am in grief and sadness, I will still have faith in God like Martha did. I think that’s why her story is included in the gospels, because she is a role model for the depth of faith in times of grief and sadness.

Day 138 Bible Reading - John 10: 27-29 (ESV)

1  Samuel 1, 1 Samuel 2: 1-26, John 10: 22-42, Psalm 77: 10-20

John 10: 27-29 (ESV)

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”

Verses 27 through 29 from John 10 shows Christ talking about his followers and the promises, blessings, and benefits to anyone who follows him. Christ is a good shepherd, and he knows his sheep. Christ knows us better than we even know ourselves. He cares for us, guides us, and makes sure we live good lives. And through his resurrection, Christ promises us eternal life with him where we will never perish. Christ also promises that we will not be snatched from him. We are safe with Christ, and since Jesus and God are one, we are in hands of the one who created the world.

Christ as the good shepherd is a wonderful metaphor to remember whenever we perhaps think God doesn’t look after us. Christ always look after his sheep, and he sees many things we might not see with out limited point of view. What we may think is the worst thing that has ever happened to us, turns out to be the best thing because God is always guiding us in our life.

Day 137 Bible Reading - Ruth 4: 14-15 (ESV)

Ruth 3 & 4, John 9: 35-41, John 10: 1-21, Psalm 77: 1-9

Ruth 4: 14-15 (ESV)

“Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

Verses 14 and 15 from Ruth 4 show us that even though Naomi doubted God because her husband and her two sons died, in the end God blessed Naomi whose descendant will become King David. God not only restored her family line, but Ruth’s son will continue the line that line with King David and Jesus Christ. God used Naomi and Ruth to redeem not only Naomi and Ruth, but her people and the world as well with the birth of Jesus Christ. God always has a plan for our lives, even though it can sometimes feel like we are not blessed at all. It might take awhile to see God’s plan, but if we keep our faith in God we will eventually come to know that God’s plan was the best thing that happened in our life.