For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
John 9
See the blind man’s testimony in v. 25. Now fill in the blanks with your story: “I was _________, but now I _________.” Share it with someone today. I love this story about the man born blind. It highlights the simplicity of God’s truth and the ignorance that stems from human pride. Sometimes we work way too hard to skew the truth so that it fits into the frame of our desired narrative when all we really need to do is believe the obvious. I don’t know why we have so much trouble with that, but we do.
1 Chron. 20-21
The text doesn’t say why David counted the fighting men or why it was a sin. What do you think are the possible explanations? I have mused over this census sin quite a bit in the past, and I still don’t fully understand it. I do think it is ironic, though, that the penalty for David’s concern over the number of his troops involved decreasing the size of the population. Isn’t it just like God to take away the thing we are most inclined to rely on or the thing we fear losing the most? What better way to show us we are to rely on Him alone?
David’s comment about God’s great mercy is also telling to me. God was getting ready to inflict a plague on the people of Israel. Where is the mercy in that? Ah, but perspective matters! David’s choice of punishment and his reason for making it reveal the sincerity of his repentance before God. He humbled himself, acknowledging the sin in his actions and taking full responsibility for it. There was not an ounce of pride trying to justify what he had done or questioning God’s right to take the action He did. With the perspective of “I am a sinner and God is just”, David was able to lean into God’s merciful character. He was once again relying fully on God. Something he should have done in the first place.