January 5th

Genesis 11:1-13:4
There are three main things that are talked about in this passage. The Tower of Babel, the line of Abraham, and the journey of Abraham and Sarai into Egypt.

The Tower of Babel is so interesting to me. That the earth was all one language at one point, that God saw that if it stayed that would nothing would be impossible for men, and that He saw that as a negative enough thing that he decided to scramble their language to create a barrier between them so that they couldn't become so strong in their united forces.

I also find the story of Abraham and Sarai entering Egypt to really stand out. Abraham is so highly regarded as being a man of God, yet he tells his wife to pose as his sister so that his life can be spared. When Pharaoh then takes Sarai as his own wife, there is no apparent objection from Abraham. It takes God bringing plagues upon the house of Pharaoh, and then Pharaoh approaching Abraham about it and saying, "Why would you tell me this is your sister and let me take her as my wife?" I'm just amazed, I guess, that Pharaoh saw the wrongdoing that Abraham didn't see. Or perhaps Abraham knew it was wrong, but considered his life to be more important. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of follow up to this story, and I'm curious if Abraham was sorry for what he'd done, or if he suffered any consequences for such a decision? I'd be interested in delving into some of the backround of this a little more to see if there's more information.

Matthew 5:1-26
The Beatitudes. Verses 3-10
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Verses 14-16
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise you Father in heaven."

Something important in this passage of Matthew is God's declaring of the importance of human relationships. He says that if there is something unsettled between two people, that they should clear that up before they come to the altar with an offering. This clearly states the affect that fractured relationships have on people. It keeps us from being whole. And it keeps our hearts from being clear and prepared to enter fully into the presence of God.

Psalm 5:1-12 & Proverbs 1:24-28
This Psalms shows the vast difference between those who reject the Lord and those who put their trust in Him. David is asking the Lord to declare them who reject Him as guilty, but to be a shelter to those who take refuge in Him. Proverbs then follows with a strong warning. It's a picture of what happens to those who reject God. He says, "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me" (verse 28). When I read these kinds of verses I'm faced with the seriousness of the calling of God on our lives. We must respond. We cannot turn away from Him. He is a loving God, oh so loving and so patient, but He is a just God, and the day will come when those who have turned away from Him time and time again will experience His wrath. Sobering.