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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

     Moses instructed the Israelites to make no treaties with the people living in the land God was bringing them into. They were to completely destroy the peoples already living there. They were not to intermarry with them, neither give their sons and daughters in marriage to them, nor take their sons and daughters in marriage. Moses warns the Israelites that if they do intermarry, they will be led away from God into idolatry. Moses told them that if they allowed that to happen, God would destroy them. Rather than allow themselves to be led aside into idolatry, the Israelites were to destroy the altars and idols of the people of the land. Moses continued by telling the Israelites that if they kept God’s commands and were faithful. God would bless them in the land. They did not need to fear the people of the land because God was with them. God was going to drive the people out of the land little by little.
     Moses reminded the children of Israel to remember what God had done for them in the wilderness, where their clothing did not wear out and He provided them with manna from heaven. God taught them that people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Moses tells them that they learned to trust God through their time of privation in the wilderness, now they will need to continue to serve and trust God as they come into a land of plenty. Do I remember God when times are good? Do I remain faithful?

     A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner at his house. While Jesus was there, a woman known for her sinful lifestyle learned that He was there. She brought a jar of perfume and came to where Jesus was eating. She cried over His feet, poured some of the perfume on them and wiped them with her hair, kissing His feet all the while. When the Pharisee saw what she was doing, he thought to himself that Jesus must not be much of a prophet if He was allowing this type of woman to touch Him.
     Jesus noticed the thoughts that were going on in the Pharisee’s head and asked him a question. Jesus asked him who would be more grateful someone who was forgiven a small debt or someone who was forgiven a very large debt. Simon, the Pharisee, answered that he supposed that the one who had the bigger debt cancelled would be more grateful. Jesus then points out that Simon had failed to live up to the basic criteria of hospitality, but that this woman more than made up for it. Jesus goes on to say that those who are forgiven much have great love, while those who are forgiven little love little. Do I feel like I have been forgiven a lot, or just a little? I believe that part of Jesus’ message in this is that we have all been forgiven a lot by God, but some of us think that we have only sinned a little.

     All too many of us know what the psalmist is experiencing in today’s psalm. He tells us that the waters have come up to his neck and that he can get no foothold. He is exhausted and his throat is sore from crying for help. He openly admits that he is in this trouble because of his own foolishness. He acknowledges before God his sins, knowing that they cannot be hid from God. He asks God to keep those who seek God from being put to shame because of his failures.
     Even in the midst of his troubles that are of his own doing, the psalmist cries out to God because he knows of God’s great love. I, also, throw myself on God’s mercy in my time of trouble, knowing full well that the troubles I experience are my own doing. I have faith that God will deliver me and I pray that this time when I get out of the pit I put myself into I will continue to honor and follow God.

     If we wish to learn what God has to teach us, we must accept and embrace His discipline. Those who refuse to accept correction will never learn.