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.

     Asa succeeded his father Abijah to the throne of Judah. King Asa pagan shrines and altars from much of Judah. We are told that as a result of Asa’s dedication to God, Judah had many years of peace. During this time Asa built up the fortified towns of Judah. At one point a large Cushite (which is either southern Arabia or Ethiopia) army attacked Judah. Asa’s army was vastly outnumbered, but Asa called on the Lord and they were victorious and acquired a vast amount of plunder. After this battle a prophet came to Asa and prophesied to him that if the people of Judah would continue to seek the Lord, they would have peace and prosperity. Asa called the people together to renew their covenant with God. We are told that during Asa’s reign many people migrated from the lands of the Northern Tribes into Judah in order to worship God. Later in his life Asa came to rely too much on human skills. When King Baasha of Israel invaded, Asa sent messengers to the king of Aram requesting his assistance. The king of Aram attacked Israel, forcing King Baasha to withdraw from attacking Judah. A prophet condemned Asa for allying with the king of Aram, telling him that if he had trusted God to rescue him from King Baasha, God would have given victory not only over Baasha, but over the king of Aram as well. In addition, when Asa developed a serious foot disease at the end of his life, we are told that he relied entirely on his physicians and did not turn to God for healing.

     Paul tells us that he would be willing to be cut off from Christ if that was what it took to bring salvation to all of the Jews. It was a source of sorrow and grief for Paul that so many Jews rejected the Gospel about Jesus. Paul tells us that not all of Abraham’s descendants are the children of Abraham’s promise (that is God’s promise to Abraham concerning his children). I find the rest of this passage troubling because Paul seems to say that God chooses to cause some people to be receptive to His offer of grace and others to reject it. I am not sure that is what Paul is saying here because there are other places where he talks about people choosing to have faith in God.
     One thing Paul does talk about here that is clear is that God has made each of us to fulfill different roles in this world. Some of us were chosen and crafted to be glorious vessels of God’s glory. Others of us were chosen for more mundane and less glorious purposes. We are clay being shaped and fired by the Potter to serve His purposes in this world. We should take pride in that whether we are designed for a use that is glorified (a decorative vase) or one that is mundane (a chamber pot).

     The psalmist tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God. Even though they do not speak, they proclaim God’s wondrous love to those who are willing to listen. This theme is echoed by Paul in Romans 1 when he says that God’s nature can be seen through that which God created, but some choose not to see. Just as the sun shines down on all of the earth, so does God’s goodness pour forth on all who pursue Him. The psalmist goes on to say that the commands of the Lord are more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. The psalmist tells us that the laws of the Lord are trustworthy and firm. They are clear to all who truly wish to know them. But the psalmist tells us that we have trouble recognizing our own error, the best we can do is to strive to avoid those actions which we know to be sin. If we do this, God will forgive us our less blatant failings.

     This proverb is so obvious that it seems redundant to say it. Yet, there are many who think that they find wisdom while under the influence of alcohol. There may be times when the consumption of alcohol will improve your life, but times when you are seeking wisdom are not among them.