February 9

Today's Reading

Exodus. Today we read about the ordination of the High Priest. Notice how much blood is shed to cover everyone and everything consecrated for worship. Following that is the instruction for the incense (represents prayer/intercession) altar. "Place the incense altar just outside the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant, in front of the Ark's cover—the place of atonement—that covers the tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. I will meet with you there. Every morning when Aaron maintains the lamps, he must burn fragrant incense on the altar. And each evening when he lights the lamps, he must again burn incense in the Lord 's presence. This must be done from generation to generation." (Exodus 30:6-8 NLT) I love it when I see things I never noticed before! Those verse describe exactly what Zechariah was doing when GABRIEL appeared to him and announced the birth of John the Baptist.

Matthew. Betrayal. The Supper. Gethsemane. All are packed into this night of Jesus' life and recorded here.

Psalms touched me in a different way today. This weekend I will preach a message at Stone Ridge about how God gives us a family in the church, but He has called us into the city where we live. In that light: Praise the Lord ,
for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
"I am cut off from the Lord !"
But you heard my cry for mercy
and answered my call for help. (Psalm 31:21, 22 NLT) It's dangerous out there in that city, but God will protect us if we reach out to it!

Proverbs. Again, wisdom cries out for us to hear. It reminds me of the town criers who brought the news to the people before newspapers. They went through the cities and towns "crying" the news. Preceded by words like "Hear ye, hear ye..." they first got the peoples attention, then gave the info they were to deliver. In a way, that's what Proverbs has been doing. We are almost to the rich content of the message!

Today, I hope to Hear YE! What do you see? What concerns you? We had great input yesterday.