July 18

Today's Reading

1 Chronicles. I found a quiet testimony to faithfulness and courage in Chapter 26 today. It was the selection of people from the "clan of Hebron" to take charge of things for David, both east and west of the Jordan River. Hebron was the capital city during the first seven years of David's reign. Perhaps more important, it is the region that was conquered by Caleb, during the days of Joshua. Caleb and Joshua were the two spies who pleaded with the nation to believe God and possess the land shortly after Moses received the commandments. The people rebelled and all of them over 20 years old -- all except Caleb and Joshua -- died in the wilderness. When they finally got into the Land, they conquered territory for five years. Then, at 85 years old, Caleb asked Joshua for permission to possess the hill country which had been promised to him 45 years earlier. That hill country was the territory of some of the most ferocious giants in the Land, but Caleb claimed and conquered it. By then (and still today), it is called Hebron.

Romans. Paul couldn't have made it clearer than today's passage. Faith -- complete trust in Christ's sacrifice for our sins -- places us in a right relationship with God. A right relationship results in a changed heart that wants to obey. It's never the other way around.

Psalms. Life is full of Fridays, the day that Jesus hung on the cross and hope seemed gone. But God always follows them with Sundays, when the power of death is conquered and joy overflows. Always!

Proverbs. Since we always will have poor near us, we will always have someone to help. It's part of God's process.

Your thoughts? Questions?