I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     If you want people to think well of you after you are gone (whether dead or merely traveled elsewhere), live a godly life. The names of the wicked are forgotten, or remembered as curse words.

     The psalmist contrasts the godly and the wicked. The godly are trusted. They offer wise advice that will help those who listen succeed. The wicked, on the other hand, are looking for an excuse to bring down the godly. They seek to bring down others to make themselves look better. Trust in the Lord and live your life according to His commands and you will do well. The wicked may seem to thrive, but no sooner do they rise to prominence than they are gone. I will seek refuge in the Lord.

     Mark recounts two of Jesus’ parables about the Kingdom of God. The first one tells us that we will not, and cannot understand, how our actions will lead to the growth of the Kingdom. It is not our job to understand how it works. We are to do the things which God directs us to do and allow His Spirit to cause the Kingdom to grow just as a farmer does not need to understand how a plant grows, he just needs to plant the seeds at the proper time in the proper place. The second parable tells us that seemingly insignificant actions can have tremendous results. We need to do the small things that come our way each day because they have impact way out of proportion to their seeming significance.
     I have to touch on Jesus calming the storm. As He and His disciples crossed the lake, a storm came up. The storm was intense and the disciples were sure that they were going to die. Jesus, on the other hand, slept through it. Most of the time when we read this we talk about the fact that Jesus was able to calm the storm, but I don’t think that is entirely the point here. Jesus was able to sleep through the storm because He knew that the Father was in control. He knew that God had plans for Him and did not worry about the storms which might arise in the meantime. Jesus’ question to the disciples about their faith was about why were they worried and afraid. Didn’t they know that God was looking after them? Do we have the faith to trust that God will see us through the troubles this life brings our way?

     Once Aaron and his sons had been ordained, they took up the responsibilities of making the offerings for the people. Our dedication of ourselves to God is not just for our benefit. They did not go through the process of being cleansed and made holy before God for their own benefit. They went through this process in order to be of service to others. The same it true for us. God does not bring us to Him through Christ just for our benefit, but in order to prepare us to serve others.