October 4 Psalm 116:12-19 Colossians 1:1-23 Jeremiah 7:30-34; 8; 9:1-16
Psalm 116:12-19
How can I thank God for all He has done? Psalm 116:12-14 is an amazing refrain. We cannot give more to God than He has already given to us. In appreciation for our salvation, we can live out of a “Thank You”. This includes a lifestyle of wholehearted devotion. “God, thank You! God, I am with You heart and soul. God, I love You. God, I will live for You with the best of my energy.” Psalm 116:16-19 provides this kind of passionate cry of gratitude. We can make promises to God and keep them with the help of our spiritual community. In the middle of this passage, we find Psalm 116:15 and the discovery that God “cares deeply when His loved ones die”. Are we reading a song for a memorial service? Are they reflecting on what they have learned about God, during a time of grieving the loss of a loved one?
Colossians 1:1-23
Here we read the guidance for people who are following Jesus. They are faithful. They are known for showing love to people who are across cultural lines. This love of theirs came from a confident hope that Jesus Christ would prepare a place in Heaven. It is a love from the Holy Spirit. Paul writes to the church in Colosse, just 100 miles from Ephesus. We don’t know if he has ever visited. This church started in the home of Philemon about the same time that the Ephesian church started. Paul writes to refute false teachings about the person and work of Jesus. “Grace and peace, agape love for all people, faith, and confident hope”. This is a list of values that are of great importance. They are phrases commonly used to describe thriving local churches. The Colossians show a supernatural love for others, as a result of receiving the Good News of Jesus. Paul & Timothy are praying that God would give the Colossians spiritual wisdom, understanding, endurance, joy, patience, and an ability to recognize the guidance of God. Jesus is our redemption, ransom, the visible image of God who existed before human time, the head of the church body, and the peacemaker. Jesus is the one who brought us (who were once far from God) into the presence of God. We must continue to “believe this truth and stand firmly in it”. Just like the Colossians, we should read this passage and let its truth shape our perspective. It brings us to the reality of who Jesus is.
Jeremiah 7:30-34; 8; 9:1-16
God speaks through Jeremiah, revealing what He has been thinking and feeling while watching the self-destructive path His people have been on. Jeremiah is overwhelmed by grief in hearing God’s reaction to their sin. Many times over, God explains that this punishment on the people is the direct consequence of their abandonment of Him and His Word.
October 4 Psalm 116:12-19 Colossians 1:1-23 Jeremiah 7:30-34; 8; 9:1-16
Please read the suggested passages, prayerfully consider them, and the questions below. My comments here may be helpful after those moments. The suggested daily reading is for the purpose of reading through the whole Bible within a year.
Reading the Bible is helpful in taking the next steps to follow Jesus. It may not be easy and yet it can be rewarding. Digging into Scripture alongside people you know is a life-giving way to pursue answers together. We discover the love that God has for us has been expressed through Jesus.
What’s the plain simple truth of the verses you read?
Based on today’s reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?
What should you do about that truth?