Larry Devich
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Of course that is in the back yard where the sun beats down so mercilessly on the covered patio, in the shady front yard it's a mere 111 degrees at the moment
¶ 7/22/2006 02:55:00 PM 0 Comments
Saturday in Week 6 of Pentecost
Daily readings
Numbers 20:14-29
Romans 6:1-11
Matthew 21:1-11
Numbers 20 tells us of the refusal of Edom, the descendants of Esau, to allow Israel to pass through their territory. I don't find anything odd about this myself. After all Israel was a great host numbering better than 2,000,000 with over 600,000 men of fighting age! Add to that the fact that the people of Israel were descended from Jacob, the liar and cheat who ripped off Esau with trickery causing him to lose his birthright. And recall that Esau was the ancestor of Edom, and it makes good sense not to trust them, at least in worldly terms. Israel at this time did not attack Edom, their brother.
Also in today's reading is the brief story of the death of Aaron. Aaron, along with Moses, was not to be allowed into the promised land because of the incident at Meribah. So the LORD, knowing that Aaron was due to die let Moses know and so allowed an orderly transfer of the priesthood to his son. This used to bug me because I looked at it like God was killing Aaron for his arrogance at Meribah. These days I see it in a different light, God was allowing Aaron to see his son take his place before dying peacefully.
Romans 6:3-4 emphasizes the vital role that baptism plays in God's plan for our salvation, not just a symbolic act of obedience to an ordinance of God but this: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Matthew 21 is the triumphal entry into Jerusalem by Jesus, the last act of his earthly life has begun and he will soon be arrested and killed and the crowds are shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" Soon other crowds will scream out "Crucify him!" Truly I think I must be counted in both crowds. I am the sinner who is the cause of his death, and I am the Christian who praises him and partakes of his body and blood in the sacrament.
Shangri-la update: This week I've lost another 2 pounds and am now at 188. ¶ 7/22/2006 07:24:00 AM 0 Comments
Daily readings
Numbers 20:14-29
Romans 6:1-11
Matthew 21:1-11
Numbers 20 tells us of the refusal of Edom, the descendants of Esau, to allow Israel to pass through their territory. I don't find anything odd about this myself. After all Israel was a great host numbering better than 2,000,000 with over 600,000 men of fighting age! Add to that the fact that the people of Israel were descended from Jacob, the liar and cheat who ripped off Esau with trickery causing him to lose his birthright. And recall that Esau was the ancestor of Edom, and it makes good sense not to trust them, at least in worldly terms. Israel at this time did not attack Edom, their brother.
Also in today's reading is the brief story of the death of Aaron. Aaron, along with Moses, was not to be allowed into the promised land because of the incident at Meribah. So the LORD, knowing that Aaron was due to die let Moses know and so allowed an orderly transfer of the priesthood to his son. This used to bug me because I looked at it like God was killing Aaron for his arrogance at Meribah. These days I see it in a different light, God was allowing Aaron to see his son take his place before dying peacefully.
Romans 6:3-4 emphasizes the vital role that baptism plays in God's plan for our salvation, not just a symbolic act of obedience to an ordinance of God but this: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Matthew 21 is the triumphal entry into Jerusalem by Jesus, the last act of his earthly life has begun and he will soon be arrested and killed and the crowds are shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" Soon other crowds will scream out "Crucify him!" Truly I think I must be counted in both crowds. I am the sinner who is the cause of his death, and I am the Christian who praises him and partakes of his body and blood in the sacrament.
Shangri-la update: This week I've lost another 2 pounds and am now at 188. ¶ 7/22/2006 07:24:00 AM 0 Comments
