August 28

Today's Reading

Job. The first chapter in today's reading reminded me of the miners who were trapped alive in the mine in Chile. Many of you have heard and read their story. One miner, committed to Christ, led many others to Jesus in those dark days.

It seems as if Job is building toward a full indictment of God for causing Job's troubles. It begins with a reminder that God alone is the source of wisdom. Then Job tells of his great reputation before his suffering. Finally he moves to the unfairness of those who would criticize him, even though they are not righteous themselves.

2 Corinthians. Paul was hoping for some word from the Corinth church. Why? His first letter had been worded strongly and called for substantial course corrections. He wanted to know how they received it and was full of joy when the news reached him. They were some who had received the Gospel like a sweet perfume. Others despise it because the message of the cross removes all hope for salvation through any other means.

Psalms. Have you ever had the highest of spiritual highs? If you have tasted the wonder of God and melted into His arms, you can be very perplexed when life gets tough. Suddenly you wonder if He left you. Then you question those times when He seemed so near. Guess what: there's a word to describe you if that's your experience. The word is "normal."

Proverbs. Obviously, the best way to live is completely debt-free. That's a goal that takes many years for most of us. We must begin this process by making sure we pay what we owe when we owe it. At least we don't live in a culture where you borrow from someone and they can enslave you if you don't pay them back on time. Still, slavery to unpaid debts can weigh us down and defeat us in spirit.

What are your thoughts today?