Day 133 Bible Readings – Psalm 78: 36-39 (ESV)

Judges 16 & 17, John 7: 45-53, John 8: 1-11, Psalm 78: 32-39

Psalm 78: 36-39 (ESV)

“But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.”

In verses 36 through 39 from Psalm 78, we read about the compassion of Father-God to his children. In this historical Psalm written by Asaph who as a singer and musician during the reigns of David and Solomon, we read about how the people of Israel still sinned even after God provided them with quails for meat while they were in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Then when God told the people of Israel that they would not enter the promised land they repented, and they praised God with their mouths, but their praises were not sincere. The people praised God, but Asaph writes the people were not steadfast and did not follow God’s laws which was part of the covenantal relationship with him. But because God is compassionate, he did not destroy them and restrained his own anger. Father-God remembered that his children were frail and mortal, and that human life was transient and short like the wind. These verses tell us that our Father-God has infinite patient and compassion for us children, and that he will show us mercy while he waits for our repentance. This doesn’t mean that Father-God will not punish us for our sins, but he will hold back his anger because he desires our repentance above all else.

These verses also show us that we need to mirror God’s compassion and mercy in our relationships with other people. We must always ask Father-God for his discernment and guidance when people sin against us. It doesn’t mean we don’t get angry at other people, but we need to show compassion and forgiveness as God has shown us compassion, mercy and forgiveness.  

Day 132 Bible Readings – John 7: 37-39 (ESV)

Judges 14, Judges 15, John 7:14-44, Psalm 78:17-31

John 7: 37-39 (ESV)

“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

In verses 37 and 38 from John 7, Jesus makes an analogy to himself and water during the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles (booths or Sukkot) was celebrated among the people of Israel to remind everyone that God miraculously provided water and food when they made their exodus from Egypt. Jesus says if you are spiritually thirsty, you need to come to him and drink. Jesus says that if you believe in him, he will provide you with rivers of an eternal flow of “living water”. The “living water” is the Holy Spirit which will given to those who believe in him, although it will not be given until he is glorified.

I love these verses because Jesus reminds us that only he can offer us the “living water” or Holy Spirit which we hunger for when we are spiritual thirsty. I was one of those people who explored many different religious and spiritual practices because I had a deep spiritual thirst. Although I was raised as a Christian, I know I need to satisfy for myself if there was something else that was better than Jesus Christ. Other religious and spiritual practices satisfied my hunger for a while but it didn’t last, so I kept searching. After many years of searching, I now know that only the “living water” of Jesus Christ is truly an eternal river that can satisfy my spiritual thirst. But I didn’t come to this conclusion until I was “born again”, and began to truly understand the role of the Holy Spirit in my life. If Christianity is not satisfying your spiritual thirst, find a Christian church that emphasizes the Trinity and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Without a deep understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit and the Trinity, you will always be “spiritually thirsty”.

Day 131 Bible Readings – John 6: 63 (ESV)

Judges 12 & 13, John 6: 60-71, John 7: 1-13, Psalm 78: 9-16

John 6: 63 (ESV)

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

In verse 63 from John 6, the disciples were complaining to Jesus that many of the things he was teaching were hard to accept, and Jesus was explaining to them why his teachings were hard to accept.  Jesus tells his disciples that it is the Holy Spirit who gives life, and that the flesh or human efforts cannot grant life. The writers of a Bible Study I read wrote that “flesh” could also mean adherence to law or traditions, and that you need the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit to understand their spiritual significance. In other words, it would be hard to accept the teaching of Jesus without help from the Holy Spirit. Then Jesus tells them that his words and teachings are spirit and life, meaning that they are transformative because they carry information and the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ words are full of spiritual life and power. This verse teaches how important it is for believers to read out loud and study the word of God, because the words themselves are alive with spiritual power and life. The words of God have the power to transform our lives just to speak them out loud, but we need the help of the Holy Spirit to help discern them. We cannot accept or understand God’s words by using our human faculties alone. I know for myself I have a hard time understanding the teachings of Jesus, but when I pray to the Holy Spirit to help me then a whole world and new level of understanding opens up for me.

Day 130 Bible Readings – John 6: 28-29 (ESV)

Judges 10, Judges 11, John 6:25-59, Psalm 78:1-8

John 6: 28-29 (ESV)

“Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

In verses 28 and 29 from John 6 Jesus answer the question from the crowd, who followed him  after the feeding of the 5,000, when they asked him what they must do to do the works of God. Jesus tells them that they need to believe in him whom God sent, which is Jesus Christ. In other words, Jesus told them if they want to do the work of God, they need to do anything but first trust him. The Jewish people were used to following the laws of Moses, which were based on performing good works and adhering the laws in the Torah or the first five books Old Testament. Adhering to the laws and doing good works was a pathway to righteousness. The authors of my Bible study wrote that in verse 29, Jesus redefined “work” not as a series of actions but as a single act of faith. Jesus was in essence telling the crowd that salvation is by faith and not be works.

This belief or faith means a personal trust and reliance on Jesus. Jesus shifted the focus of belief from human work and adherence to the law to divine grace and faith to achieve righteousness.  Jesus wants us to have a personal relationship with him, where we trust and believe in his identity and his mission. In shift to divine grace and faith, Jesus made righteousness accessible to all regardless of works, background, and status. Belief in Jesus will transform every area of our life by influencing our decision, our actions, and interactions with other people.